Coins that Feature Animals

Many coins feature animals, whether it is the cute and cuddly koala or a flying eagle. Some countries choose animals because they act as symbols of their country. For collectors, adding these types of coins to their collection adds value to it.

These are just some of the popular animal coins for coin collecting enthusiasts.

U.S. Gold and Silver Eagle

The first issued bullion coins were part of the Gold Bullion Act of the late 80s. The Gold Eagle is now in several denominations and is also available in silver and platinum. Other than the eagle, this coin also features Lady Liberty.

Chinese Panda Coin

This coin is one of the world’s most famous coins since its first issue came out in 1982. You can get this bullion coin in either gold or silver in different weights. The panda coin uses a new design every year except in 2002, when the mint used the same design of the previous year.

Australian Koala Coin

Koalas are so cute and lovable that many people want to take pictures with them during their Australian escapade. Collectors can own a koala of sorts by purchasing a koala coin. These coins come in gold, platinum and silver. Their first issue came out in 1987, and these remain some of the only platinum coins issued to date. Other than featuring this cuddly animal, its obverse also displays Elizabeth II, the Queen of Australia.

French Twenty Franc Rooster

This coin has been around for a long time, in fact it is the oldest on this list. The rooster acts as the symbol of France, making it an easy choice for their mint to choose for currency. The obverse side of this coin depicts Ceres, the harvest goddess. The French government gave orders that all gold coins must be melted for use during World War I. If one is to consider the parameters for coin values, this French coin is quite valuable because of its limited release and rarity.

U.S. Buffalo Nickel

The Buffalo Nickel is one of the most popular coins in coin collecting circles. It features a Native American Indian on one side and a bison on the other. This design ran for more than two decades, from 1913 to 1938.

These are only some of the animal coins to look out for and add to your collection. Some of these are quite rare, making them valuable to any collector. Look for these coins in various specialty shops to grow your collection. Colonial Acres can assist you with all aspects of coin collecting, including searching for unique coins that feature animals to add to your collection.

American Presidents on Bills and Coins

Coin collecting is a fun and a potentially lucrative hobby, if you find the right set of coins and paper money that have tremendous value. Coins all over the world have used various figures and animals on their surfaces. Some of the most prominent figures used on money are the presidents of the United States of America.

Here are some of the presidents that have appeared on money.

George Washington

George Washington features prominently on the $1; he is the first U.S. President and Founding Father of the United States. He was first displayed on the dollar bill in 1869, seven years after the bill was on print. The average lifespan of the average dollar bill is approximately 18 months because of the heavy use it experiences. Money and coin collecting can be a profitable hobby, if you have one of the coins that depicts the first U.S. President on it, more so if it is decades old.

Thomas Jefferson

This individual is one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson has been on the $2 bill since 1869. The government has conducted multiple campaigns to boost this bill’s popularity since the early part of the 1900s. His face is also on the nickel.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president and is on the $5 bill. Lincoln is renowned because he ended slavery and saved the Union. He has been on this bill for more than a century. The words “In God We Trust” was published on this bill in 1964. Abraham Lincoln is also on the penny.

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson is the 7th president of the United States of America and is a polarizing political personality. Jackson took Cleveland’s place on the $20 bill in 1928. Several petitions to remove his image from the bill have circulated but have failed.

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses was a well-known Civil War general and is the 18th president. His first appearance on the bill was in 1913. In 2005 and 2010, there were calls to replace Grant with Ronald Reagan, but those attempts failed.

Benjamin Franklin

The first hundred dollar bill that has Franklin’s face on it appeared in 1914. He was not technically president of the U.S., but his role in the country’s formation made him a prominent political figure.

William McKinley

McKinley was the 25th president and was assassinated during his term in 1901. His face features prominently on the $500 bill since 1928. This is a rare bill that is on top of the lists of many collectors.

Other presidents such as Grover Cleveland, James Madison and Woodrow Wilson are on rare bills.

Coin collecting as well as paper money collecting is fun, whether you focus on the United States, Canadian Mint or other countries. Colonial Acres can assist you with starting a collection, learning more about coins and paper money, or viewing the value of your current collection.

The Famous Turkish Meskuk and Ziynet Gold Bullion Coins

Many investors and businessmen purchase and collect gold bullion coins as a first step in getting into their very own gold collections. Bullion coins are collected for the common interest of investment and stable assets, since the value of precious metals is a more reliable market compared to a country’s federal bills and economy.

Investors who are into coin collecting mostly go for gold coins such as the American Gold Eagle, the African Kruggerand, and the Canadian Maple Leaf. You may be surprised, but none of these three are the best-selling bullion coins for the past ten years. The best-selling bullion or gold coins are actually the Turkish Meskuk and Ziynet.

It’s not a surprise that Turkey has supplied the world with the largest number of gold coins in the last decade. Turkey, also known as ancient Lydia, was also the first in history to make gold coins. And today, they seem to be very competitive with the rest of the gold market.

If you are not familiar with these two coins, then here is a brief description of both coins. They are produced by the Turkish State Mint, have a purity rating of 91.66% and therefore have a coin value equivalent of 22 karat gold. These coins are both called Republican Gold Coins.

Meskuk

The Turkish Meskuk is considered the “thick” coin. It is also the standard gold coin, and is a bit heavier than the Ziynet. The obverse face of the Meskuk features the profile of Kemal Ataturk, surrounded by the inscriptions HAKIMIYET MILLETINDIR which means “sovereignty rests with the nation” and ANKARA which is the capital city of Turkey.

On the reverse face, the inscriptions TURKIYE CUHMHURIYETI are encircled by a wreath. The date on the reverse includes 1923 and the number of years it has been since then.

Ziynet

The Turkish Ziynet is considered the “thin” coin, and is usually used as a gift to weddings and other special occasions since it is a decorative coin. The Turkish Ziynet is larger in size compared to the Meskuk. The obverse again features the profile of Kemal Ataturk, encircled by 32 small stars and a decorative design of flowers.

The reverse face of the Ziynet also features the inscriptions TURKIYE CUHMHURIYETI, but now encircled with 32 stars as well as a decorative flower design. The date on the reverse is the year of mintage.

Coin values for both are in the range between ¼ to 5 lira or 25 to 500 piastres. These coins are indeed famous for people who are into bullion coin collecting. These Republican gold coins will be a lovely addition to your own collection.